Vania



Nm 6|7,55|. Patented' 1an. lo, |899.

J. S. BANCROFT. SP-AGING MECHANISM. (Aplzlicaiion fue@ Ot. d, 1898.

Patented lan'. l0, |899. J. S. BANCRUFT.

SPACING MECHANISM.

(Appxicmon med ont. e, was.) n

4 Shets-Sheet 2.

f WHA/5835s.-

me NonRls Prsns co. ruooumo., WASHINGTON. n. c.

No. 6|7,55|. i Patented 1an. |o,f|a99.l .1. s; BANcnoFT.

SPCING MECHNISM.

(Application med opt. a, 1895. A (No Model.) v 4 sheetkshqaf 3.

FIG. 6.

THE mams Pscns co. Puo'mLlTna. wAsmNGToN.-n. c.

No. 6|7,55|`. Patented 1an; m, |899.

' .1; s. BANcnoFT.

SPACING MVECHANISM. (Apniqation mgq ocu. e, 189e (No Model.)#Sheets-Sheet 4.

l0 ko UNrTED 'STATES PATENT OFFICE.

TO TIIE WILLIAM SELLERS & COMPANY, INCORPORATED, OF PENNSYL- VANIA.

SPACING MECHANISM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 617,551, dated January10, 1899.

Application led October 6 l 898.

it is particularly well adapted to punching metal plates, angles, beams,dro., required for structural work where the intervals vary frequently Ihave accordingly illustrated it as applied to the spacing mechanismshown and described in the patent granted August 24, 1897, No. 588,799.

In the above-cited patent the variation in the distance traveled by thespacing-table is produced by adjusting the hand-lever, which controlsthe position of the sliding block 11 12 and pin 13 in the vibrating arm2, to a new position on the notched bar 21, a rider 36 being provided tofacilitate adjustment in one direction. This movement of the lever andpin 13 is arranged to be made by hand, and as it sometimes requiresconsiderable force to make this movement promptly and with certainty tothe required position the speed of the machinery is in many caseslimited by the interval required to make this adjustment, which can bedone only during the return stroke of the spacing-pawl if the machine isnot to lose a stroke whenever the spacing is changed. The rider-block 36is intended to be placed in theproper position on the notched bar forthe stroke required', and at the proper point in the revolution of t-hemachine the operator would unlatch the hand-lever and move it along thebar, thus forcing the pin 13, with its attachments, to its new positionin the vibrating arm 2 until stopped by the rider, when the lever wouldbe latched to. the notched bar and the rider again adj usted for thenext change. As shown, the rider can be used for change in one directiononly; but this could be remedied by providing another rider on theopposite side of the lever to limit movement in the opposite direction.The operator would then ad- Serial No. 692,809. (No model.)

just therider on the side to which he desired to move the hand-lever.The two riders and the movement of the slidin g block would give theoperator considerable work to do in a very short time and may frequentlyresult in the loss of a useful stroke and perhaps a hole in the wrongplace.y In such machines the length of the division is oftenconsiderable, while it is frequently desirable to make them quiteminute; but this latter is limited to that of a single tooth in theratchet-wheel 24, which must be strong enough to perform the workv ofmoving the spacing-table with its appurtenances and the material to bepunched. To meet these opposing conditions, it is impossible to obtainthe minute divisions required and also the maximum divisions desirableupon the machine described in the aforesaid patent.

It is one object of my invention, therefore,

to effect the movement of the sliding block by the machine itself, andthereby limit the work of the operator to the adjustment of a stop whichshall determine the position to which the machine shall move the slidingblock and pin in the vibrating-arm. n

It is a further object of my invention to divide the spacing movementinto two or more parts, which shall be united into one spacing movementupon the completion of the movement off its divisions, so as thereby toprovide for both coarse and ne spacing.

To these ends my invention consists in two opposing jaws, an adjustablestop` which determines the closed position of the jaws, a balancingconnection through which either jaw may become the abutment for movingthe other, and a spacing-block movable by the opposing jaws to theclosedposition of the roo l vers used in Figs. 1 and 2.

,able in a fixed path and open, and the adjustable stop moved to theposition required for the next spaced position. Fig. 2 shows the samepartsv as shown in Fig 1, but with the jaws closed and the sliding block34 adj usted to the position determined by the adjustable stop. Fig. 3,Sheet 2, is a side elevation of another arrangement for guiding andoperating the jaws in a fixed path without the le- Fig. 4 shows the sameparts as shown in Fig. 3, but with the jaws open to permit the movementof theadjustable stop to any new position. Fig. 5 is a plan of the partsshown in Figs. 3 and 4. Fig. G, Sheet 3, is a plan of the upper portionof the frame and adjustable stop shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 7 is anend elevation of the parts shown in Figs. v1 and 2. Fig. 8 is a verticalsection of Fig. 6 in front of the handle shown in the plan. Fig. 9,Sheet 4, is an end View of twospacing mechanisms like that shown in Fig.1 so united as to produce one spacing movement of the table; and Fig. 10is a plan of' the parts shown in Fig. 9, omitting the ratchet-wheels andthe gearing.

In Figs. 1, 2, and 4 is a crank-disk 1, driven from the eccentric or thecam-shaft of the punching-machine to make one revolution for each strokeof the punch, as fully described in the before-mentioned patent.

2 is a vibrating arm connected to the crankpin 3 by the link 4 and pin5. It is provided with a slot formed in a circular arc to carry thesliding block 11, with its pin 13, to which the bell-crank 22 isconnected by the link 14 and pin 9. The radius of the circular arc inthe arm 2 is equal to the length of the link 14 from center to center,as shown in Fig. 1, the pin 9 being at the center of this circular areand the crank in disk 1 at the top of its stroke. The arm 2 is pivotedin the stand 6 on the pins 7 8 in the are traversed by the pin 13, and,as shown in Fig. 1, the axes of the pins 13 7 8 are in line. The pin 13also carries the slotted link 10, which connects with the brake-lever39, and the double link 1G 17, which connects with the bar 18 by the pin19. This bar takes the place of the hand-lever 18 in thebefore-mentioned patent to determine the position of the *sliding block1l and the pin 13 in the circular arc in the arm 2. The bar 18 issupported by and moves freely 1ongitudinally in the frame 21, the end ofwhich frame forms the caps of the bearings which support the pins 7 8,on which the arm 2 vibrates. The under side of the bar 18 is providedwith a series of notches properly spaced, each space corresponding tothe smallest division required in the work to be punched, into whichnotches a tongue formed upon the upper end of the pin 12 can enter andlock the bar 18 and the sliding block 11 in any desired notch. The pin12 is pivoted to the end of a short arm keyed upon the shaft 45, andupon vthe same shaft is keyed the long arm of a bell-crank leverprovided with a roller at its end, which rests upon the periphery of thecrank-disk 1.j The shorter arm 30/ projects backward toward thecrank-disk and is connected to the shield which lifts the spacingpawl.This disk is cam-shaped, as shown, to move the pin 12 to lock and torelease the bar 18 at the proper times. On the upper side of the frame21 is provided an index-bar 31, securely fastened at each end throughdistance-blocks 32 32 to the frame to form guiding-surfaces for thejaw-blocks 33 and On the upper side of the index-bar 31 a series ofnotches properly spaced are cut, each space corresponding to thesmallest division required in the work, and a block 34 is tted to slidefreely thereon. A handle provided with a spring bell-crank lever isfitted on the top of the block, the short end of the bellcrank enteringthe plug 15, so that when the upper end of the bell-crank is compressedagainst the handle the plug will be raised. The lower end of this plugis fitted to enter the notches o'n the upper side of the indexbar, sothat when the bell-crank is released the spring will force Jthe end ofthe plug into one of the notches, when the block 34 is moved along theindeX-bar,and therebylock the block firmly to the bar. An index is cuton the upper side of the index-bar to enable the operator to determinethe spacing which the movement of the block will effect. The movement ofthe bar 18, which effects a change in the spacing by its control of theblock 11 in the circular arc of the vibrating arm 2, is effected throughthe curved link 35, pivoted at one end to the under side of thevibrating arm 2 and at the other to the end of the swinging arm 36, theother end of which is pivoted to any convenient part of' the fixed frameabove it midway between the eXtreme movement horizontally of the end ofthe curved link 35, which this swinging arm supports. On each side ofand pivoted tothe jaw-block 33 is suspended a lever-arm 37, the two armsforming one lever, and midway of its length preferably a link 2O ispivoted by one end, while the other end vibrates about the pin in theswinging arm 3G, to which the curved link 35 is attached. As thusarranged the movement of the arm 2 will produce a corresponding movementof the link 20 and the lever-arm 37. On each side of and pivoted to thejaw-block 33' is suspended a lever-arm 37', and midway of its lengthpreferably, but at the same distance roo other end is pivoted to a standsecured upon the fixed frame 2l, sothat the links 20 andl 55 shall beapproximately parallel. The two lever-arms 37 and 37 are united by thebalancing connection 40, Which in this case is a link pivoted at eachend to the lever-arms 37 and 37', respectively. On each side of the bar18 a plate 41 is secured, which extends upward toward the block 34.These plates are joined together below the block, which they do notquite touch, so as not to interfere with the movement of the block 0r ofthe bar 18. The upper ends of the plates are dressed off, as shown, toform a spacing-block 34 the width of the block 34. When the machine isin operation, the fulcrum of lever 37 is fixed, while that of 37 ismoved by its connection to the vibrating arm 2, the effect of suchmovement being to produce a vibration of both levers about their midwaypivots. The amount of this movement will be determined by the distancefrom the center, about which the arm 2 vibrates to the pivot on thisarm, and about which the curved link 35 vibrates. This distance is suchthat the `jaw-blocks 33 and 33 will approach each other at their closestposition to a distance equal to the width of the block 34. The positionof this block on the index-bar 31 will determine the position along thisbar where the jaw-blocks 33 and 33 will finish their movement toward`each other, because whichever jaw-block reaches this position iirstwill be arrested by the block 34 and will thus become the abutment tocompel the other jaw-block to close against the opposite side of theblock 34. In this movement of the j avv-blocks toward each other if oneof them comes in contact with the spacing-block 34', Which is fixed uponthe bar 18, the movement of this jaw-block will be arrested and becomethe abutment to compel the other jaw-block to move until'its movement isarrested by the block 34. This will then become the abutment to'compelthe other jawblock to move, carrying with it the spacingblock 34 and thebar 18 until the movements of both jaw-blocks terminate on oppositesides of the block 34. The position then of the block 34 determines theposition of the bar 18 and consequently that of the block 11 in thecircular arc which determines the length of the spacing. The powerrequired for moving the block 11 is thus afforded by the machine, andthe operator has only to determine the times when change of spacing isrequired, for which purpose he has all the time at his disposal in Whichthe bar 18 is locked by the pin 12, While the power he must exert inthis time is only that required to slide the block 34 along theindex-bar from one position to another.

The operation of changing the spacing is illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2.In Fig. 1 the bar 18 is shown locked for a spacing just finished and thecam 1 is just ready to unlock it. The block 34 is moved to a newposition in Fig. 2.

The jaw-blocks 33 and 33' have closed against opposite sides of theblock 34, carrying with them the plate 41 and the bar 18 to the newposition, in which it is now locked by the movement of the cam 1, asshown on the drawings.

As the spacing is effected by the operation of the machine and thiscannot be arrested instantly, provision must be made for arresting thespacing while the motion of the machine continues. This is accomplishedby the hand-lever 42, pivoted loosely on shaft 45 and provided with ahook pivoted near the handle and forced from the handle by a spring,which is compressed by grasping the handle, so as to draw back the hookfrom the pin 43, on which the outer end of the hook rests to support thelever in the position shown. When the hook is withdrawn, the lever canbe pushed down until it rests upon the pin 43, and upon releasing'thehook the spring will restore its position and the hook will pass underthe pin 43 and lock the lever 'on the pin. This hand-lever 42 isextended a convenient distance beyond shaft 45 to pass under a lu g 44on the side of the bell-crank lever 30', so that when the hand-lever 42is pressed down and hookedto pin 43 the Wiper 26 will be raised and willlift the pawl out of its ratchet-wheel and stop the spacing movementinstantly. To prevent starting the spacing movement at an improper time,a stand 46 is carried up from the -frame of the apparatus Vto affordsupport for the pawl 47, which is pivoted upon stand 46 and extendsthrough or alongside the long arm of bell-crank lever 30', which isprovided with a pin, upon which the pawl rests, so that when this arm israised by the hand-lever 42 the pawl will drop behind the pin andprevent it from descending again until the pawl is raised. For thispurpose the pawl extends beyond the pivot upon which it vibrates, andupon this extension is'pivoted a short tailpiece extending alongside thecrank-disk 1, so that the pin 48 in the crankdisk will strike it andraise the pawl 47 at the proper moment. (See Figs. 1 and 2.) Thetailpiece is pivoted on the extension to permit it to raise and let thepin pass it in case the crank-disk should be turned backward. Figs. 3and 4 show a mode of working the jaw-blocks without the use of levers.In this case the vibrating arm 2 is provided at its extreme end and onits upper side with a projection 49, to which is pivoted theconnecting-rod 50, the other end of which is pivoted to the rack-bar 51,supported in the frame of the punching-machine. (See Fig. 5.) Therack-teeth are cut in the edge of this bar, and meshing with it is thepinion 52, supported upon the shaft A53, which passes freely into and issupported by the frame of the punching-machine, which supports all ofthe apparatus'hereinbefore described. This shaft is provided with akeyway, into which a key in the pinion 52 is fitted, so that the shaftmay play freely longitudinally through the pinion, but must turn withthe pinion. The other loo IIO

end of this shaft is provided with a right and a left handed screw,which approach each other within a distance somewhat less than the`width of the block 34, and on these screws the jaw-blocks 33 and r33'are respectively fitted as nuts. The vibratory movement of the arm 2will cause the pinion 52 and shaft 53 to rotate back and forth and the jatv-blocks 33 and 33 to move toward and from each other. The amount ofthis movement will be determined by the diameter of the pinion, which isdriven by the rack-bar 5l, the travel of this bar, and by the pitch ofthe right and left hand screws. VThe movement must be such that thejaw-blocks will approach each other to a distance equal to the width ofthe block 34. The position of this block on the index-bar 31 will thendetermine the position along this bar where the jaw-blocks 33 and 33will finish their movement, because when the rotation of the shaft 53has drawn one of the j aw-blocks against the block 34 the move- 1n entof this jaw-block will be arrested. The shaft 53, continuing to revolve,will be forced by its thread inthe jaw-block to slide through the pinion52 until this pinion ceases to revolve in that direction, which willoccur when the other jaw-block is in contact with'the opposite side ofthe block 34:. In this movement of the jaw-blocks toward each other ifone of them comes in contact with the spac` ing-block 34:', which isfixed upon the bar 1S,

the movement of this jaw-block will be arrested and become the abutmentto compel the other jaw-block tomove, carrying with it the spacing-block3-1 and the bar 18, until the movements of both jaw-blocks terminate oneach side of the block 34. The adjustment of the bar 18 will then havebeen edected for the next spacing, the same as in the lever arrangementfor operating the jawblocks. In this case the shaft 53 becomes thebalancingconnection, as it serves the same purpose as the link 40 in thelever arrangement hereinbefore described.

Figs. 9 and 10 show the apparatus for dividing the spacing movement intotwo parts and for uniting these divisions into one spacing movement, inwhich Fig. 9 is a front elevation, and Fig. lO'is a plan of the same.For this purpose the vibrating arm 2 is widened to contain two circulararcs side by side, each circular arc carrying a duplicate of the slidingblock 11, each block 11 with a duplicate of pin 13, and to each pin 13is attached a duplicate of link 14 with its pin 9, each of which pins isattached to a bell-crank and each of which bell-cranks operates aspacing-pawl and wheel in the manner fully described in thebeforementioned patent. Fig. 10 shows in plan two index-bars side byside, each of which is provided with its block 34 and its handle foroperating and locking, the same as hereinbefore described. In fact fromthe block 34: down to the spacing-wheels there are two sets of spacingapparatus side by side, each of which is operated as hereinbe-` foredescribed and as described in the beforementioned patent, and each isentirely independent of the other. To combine these two spacingapparatus so as to produce one spacing movement which shall be the sumof the two independent movements, one movement is connected to onemember of an epicyclic train and the other movement is connected toanother member of the same train, as shown in Fig. 9, in which 54 is theratchetwheel for the fine divisions and 24 is the ratchet-wheel for thecoarse divisions. The shaft which transmits the spacing movement fromthe spacing apparatus to the spacingtable is 56 and corresponds to shaft23 in the before-mentioned patent. This shaft extends across and servesto support the ratchetwheels 54 and 24 and the bell-cranks and pawlswhich operate them, as also the epicyclc train, composed of fourbevel-wheels 57, 5S, 59, and 60. Of this train, 57 and 5S are inonepiece and revolve freely about the shaft 56. The ratchetwheel 54 isconnected to the wheel 5S of the epicyclic train by the pinion 61, wheel62, shaft 63, pinion 64, and wheel 65, which is mounted upon and firmlysecured upon the wheel 58,which revolves freely about the shaft 56.Between the wheels 57 and 58 are the bevel-pinions 59 and 60, whichrevolve freely upon pivots formed upon opposite sides of the hub 66,which is firmly secured upon the shaft 56. The effect of thisarrangement is that cach ratchet-wheel transmits its entire movement toone side of the epicyclic train, and these two movements are combinedinto one by the bevel-pinions 59 and 60, the pivots of `which arerotated bythe combinedl movement of the other two members of the trainand impart this rotary movement to the shaft 56 and through this shaftto the spacing-table.

The two portions of the spacing movement above described have theirrespective movements in the same time; but they may be madeconsecutively with the same apparatus, if required-as, for example, incase the operator fails to move more than one adjustable stop at theproper time when he should move both. In that event he should instantlythrow the punch out of gear, allow-the one portion of the spacingmovement to complete itself, then move its adjustable stop to zero,adjust the other stop to the proper division, and allow its spacingmovement to be completed, when the punch may be thrown into gear.

I have shown and described an epicyclic train for combining the twoportions of thc spacing movementA into one spacing mov(- ment as thebest for the particular kind of machine which I have adopted toillustrate my invention; but there are other mechanical movements thatwill accomplish the same result, which may be used more advantageouslyfor other purposes than punching metals, and as my invention simplyprovides a means for employing the power of the machine itself to modifythe spacing of the spacing apparatus which the machine operates 1' donot limit my IOO IIO

invention to the use of an epicyclic train or to the spacing apparatusdescribed in this specification and in the before-mentioned patent; but

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. Two opposing movable jaws, an adjustable stop which determines theclosed position-of the jaws, a balancing connection through which eitherjaw may become'the 'abutment for moving the other, and a spacing-blockmovable by the opposing jaws to the closed position of the jaws.

2. Two opposing movable jaws, an adjustable stop which determines theclosed position of the jaws, a balancing connection one portion of aspacing movement, an ad'- justable stop which determines another portionof the same spacing movement, and means for combining these two portionsinto one spacing movement.

J. SELLERS BANGROFT.

Vitnesses:

THos. P. STRITTMATTER, E. R. HARPER.

